Cleanups To Date

Pitch In All-Santa Cruz Cleanup Day will be May 10th, 2025!

Click Here to Learn More

Opportunities to participate will be updated here on a regular basis.

Upcoming Cleanups

  • Join Us for a Community Clean-up - Salsipuedes Creek Levee & Lakeview Rd
    (Pick area in map)
    • Time: Apr 24, 2025, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
    • Meet: Park & meet near levee entrance, next to Field Production Services on 5 Lakeview Rd
    • Volunteer waivers will need to be signed.
    • For more information call: Ramon Gomez 831-247-5338
  • Boulder Creek Spring Town Sweep
  • Volunteer Center Clean Up (Special Event) @ Pogonip Open Space
    Volunteer to clean up Pogonip removing trash from trails.
    • Time: May 6, 2025 @ 9:45am - 12pm (clean up starts at 10am - but please arrive at 9:45 for parking and walking to meeting spot)
    • Meet: Park Entrance at the end of Golf Club Drive (Emma McCrary Trailhead). 501 Golf Club Drive, Santa Cruz CA 95060
    • Please wear hiking boots or sturdy shoes, layers for warm or cold weather and sunscreen. Volunteers will do lots of walking on the trails and some volunteers may use a wheelbarrow to remove larger items.
  • Volunteer Center Clean Up (Monthly)
    Volunteer to clean up Pogonip removing trash from trails.
    • Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM on the 3rd Wednesday of the month.
      May 21, June 18, July 16, August 20, September 17, October 15
    • Please arrive 15 minutes early to provide time for parking and a short walk to the meeting location.
    • For details and signup, Click Here.
  • Join Save Our Shores cleanups
    • Beach Cleanup @ Cowell Beach (April 26 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am)
      Cowell Beach 21 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA
      • Registration is required
      • Meet Up Location: Please meet us at the base of the stairs to Cowell Beach, on the right side of the wharf entrance.
      • Facilities & Accessibility: Restrooms and drinking fountains are available onsite. Metered lot and street parking may be limited, please plan accordingly.
    • Beach Cleanup @ Cowell Beach (May 10, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am)
      Cowell Beach 21 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA
      • Registration is required
      • Meet Up Location: Please meet us at the base of the stairs to Cowell Beach, on the right side of the wharf entrance.
      • Facilities & Accessibility: There are no restrooms available, and no drinking fountains on site. Parking is limited, so please plan accordingly.
  • Join Coastal Watershed Council!
    A fun, family friendly way to help clean and protect our San Lorenzo River.
    This applies to all River Walk Cleanups:
    Generally, we will meet on the east riverbank between the Laurel Street bridge and the Branciforte Creek pedestrian bridge. Please RSVP below to receive up-to-date location information. We recommend that all volunteers dress in comfortable gardening clothes, including long pants, socks and sturdy closed-toe shoes. Bring layers, sun protection and a reusable water bottle. Gloves, tools and light refreshments will be provided.
    All ages and abilities welcome. Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
    Call (831) 464 9200 x104, or email CWC River Ecologist Kaiya Giuliano-Monroy with any questions before the event. RSVP
    • April 26 @ 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
      San Lorenzo Park Neighbors Second Annual Day in the Park
      San Lorenzo Park 137 Dakota St, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
    • May 10 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
      Pitch In All-Santa Cruz Cleanup Day 2025
      River Health Day
    • June 14 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
      River Health Day
      Santa Cruz Riverwalk
    • July 12 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
      River Health Day
      Santa Cruz Riverwalk
    • September 13 @ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
      Volunteer to Beautify San Lorenzo Park
      San Lorenzo Park 137 Dakota St, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Cleanups Accomplished

Eastlake Cleanup

March 1, 2022

For more than a year, directly across from Lakeview Middle School, under the shade trees near the Valley Church properties, a known drug offender had set up an encampment. Several individuals living illegally in this location, accumulated mountains of trash, pallets, crates, discarded furniture, tarps, and human waste which flowed into the irrigation channels that lead to local farms. Many neighbors sent complaints requesting removal of the site and cleanup of the refuse.

Finally, on March 1, 2022, volunteer students from St. Francis School, the Community Action Board, the County of Santa Cruz Public Works, and several local residents cleared out the debris, regraded the landscape, seeded grass and limbed up trees to prevent encampment reestablishment.

 
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St. Francis High School students volunteer to clean up garbage from Eastlake encampment.
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Neighbors and local residents fed up with the environmental destruction caused by the encampment assisted in the cleanup.
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Proud of their accomplishment and valuable contribution to cleaning up the environment, St. Francis students stand before a container of accumulated trash.
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